NEET: After Madras HC order, medical admissions stopped in Tamil Nadu

The decision was taken following a Madras High Court order that directed CBSE to grant 196 grace marks — four marks each for 49 questions — to all students who appeared for the NEET in Tamil Nadu this year.

Dr G Selvarajan, secretary of the NEET selection committee, said that their further actions will be based on directions from CBSE. (Representational Image)

With medical counselling for about 700 MBBS seats in management quota pending, the Directorate General of Health Services and the state selection committee in Tamil Nadu have postponed admissions to the MBBS and BDS courses. The decision was taken following a Madras High Court order that directed Central Board of Secondary Education to grant 196 grace marks — four marks each for 49 questions — to all students who appeared for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) in Tamil Nadu this year.

As the high court also directed CBSE to bring out a fresh list of qualifying candidates within two weeks and ordered that the ongoing counselling sessions should be “kept in abeyance” till then, the state health services has announced that the online undergraduate counselling, including declaration of the second round of result, will be kept in abeyance till further orders. “Candidates are advised to keep checking the official website for updates,” said the message from DGHS, Tamil Nadu.

Dr G Selvarajan, secretary of the NEET selection committee, said that their further actions will be based on directions from CBSE. He said the first phase of counselling is over and the next three-day phase for admission to management quota seats, scheduled to begin on July 16, stands cancelled. “About 3,501 MBBS seats are filled now. Some BDS seats remain vacant as counselling was in progress. About 700 MBBS seats in management quota are left. Counselling for those seats will have to wait now,” he said.